Of course there is (but I would say that, wouldn’t I?) Unfortunately, however, there seem to be more bad ones than good ones out there, which tends to give the genre a bad name.
A good PR photo will tell the story. It will engage with the readers, connecting with them and drawing them in, encouraging them to read the accompanying article. Four blokes in grey suits holding a giant cheque does not fall into this category.
If you are hoping to sell your PR story to the nationals, you are competing with thousands of other picture-led stories every day. A great picture may well convince an editor to run a dull story; a poor one could jeopardise the chances of the story being run at all.
So, what are the ingredients of a good PR photo?
- It must tell the story
- It should have real impact (which usually means it has few people and is tightly cropped
- It must be sharp and well exposed (sounds kind of obvious but, believe me, many are not)
- It has been well thought out, planned and ‘designed’ – ie. not the ‘obvious’ shot
- Try to avoid group shots – they’re just plain boring
- Overt branding in the picture may jeopardise publication. If branding is important to the story, try to do it subtly
- The shot must chime with the style of the intended publication(s)
As a photographer who takes a good many PR pictures every week, I like to have a good brief. Ideally, I need to know why the picture is needed, what messages you hope to communicate with it, what tone of voice you wish to express and I like to have as much information about the story itself and where it is to be published. A good brief equals a good result!
Finally, a good photographer, whilst responding to your brief, will probably suggest his or her own angles and approaches which could add another dimension to the story. Trust us, we’re doing this every day and we really do understand what floats a picture editor’s boat!
If you would like to add some sparkle to your PR photography, call me, Brian, on 07850 086802. Please check out my website: http://www.uknewspictures.com
